Telegraph-key



(No Model.) v

0 F. SEBRING. TELEGRAPH KEY.

No. 528,345. Patented Oct. .30, 1894.

745121198866; fiv fiz 't v CF/LYeZ nz'ny UNITED. STATES PATENT OFF CE.

CHRISTOPHER F. SEBRING, OF LEEDS, MISSOURI.

TELEGRAPH KEY.

SPECIFJEGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 528,345, dated October 30, 1894.

Appli a i n l July 2, 1894. Serial No. 516,373. (No model-l -being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to telegraph keys, and more particularly to that class which automatically completes the circuit after being used, and the object of the invention is toprovide a self-closing attachment applicable to any of the ordinary telegraph keys in general use, which is simple, durable, andinexpensive of construction, and which may be easily and quickly secured in position.

With this object in View, the invention consists in certain peculiar and novel features of construction and arrangement, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1. is a perspective View of a telegraph key provided with my improved selfclosing attachment. Fig. 2. is a plan View of the same.

In the said drawings, 1 designates the base or stand, and 2 the base-plate of the key proper.

3 designates a binding-post projecting upwardly from the base-plate 2, and in electrical contact therewith, and connected to this binding-post is the wire a.

4 designates a similar binding-post proj ecting vertically upward and insulated from said plate 2 at 5, and the wire b, is electrically connected to said binding-post.

6 designates the conductor, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, which is electrically connected to the binding-post 4, but is insulated from the base-plate 2 of the key, and at its opposite end is electrically connected to the contact 7, in the ordinary manner; said contact 7 projecting upwardly and insulated from the base-plate 2. Projecting upwardly from the base-plate near opposite sides, are the supporting posts or standards 8, and mounted therein are the adjustable screws 9, in which I the trunnions of the lever 10 find a bearing.

An expansion-spring 11, is interposed between the base-plate 2 and the lever 10, and exerting its pressure upward, normally holds the adj usting-screw 12, extending vertically through the front end of the lever, into contact with the stop 13, projecting upwardly from the base-plate, and depending vertically from the under side of the lever and vertically abovethe center of the contact 7, is the contact-point 13 The key, as described, with the addition of the circuit-closing plate at, shown in dotted lines in the drawings, comprises one form of telegraph key in general use, and my selfclosing attachment, which is adapted to be used in connection with said key and obviate the necessity of using said circuit-closing plate d, is constructed as follows: 14 designates the plate, which is arranged longitudinally upon the stand 1, and is in contact with the base-plate 2 of the key, it being preferably sccured in this position by inserting one end beneath said base-plate, which, when screwed firmly to the stand in the ordinary manner, secures the said plate 14 from accidental displacement. The plate 14, at its opposite or rear end, is provided with the upwardly projecting arm 15, and pivoted at 16, in the upper end of said arm, is the lever 17, which is provided at its front end with a depending contact-point 18, which is held nor mally into engagement with the contact 7 by means of the spring 19, which is connected at its opposite ends to the plate 14 and the lever 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The rear end of the lever 17 is laterally enlarged to form the handle-portion 20, which is suitably insulated and arranged above and slightly to one side of the insulated button or handle 21, l

of the lever 10. It will be apparent from this construction, when the key is in use and the contact 13 is held away from contact 7 by means of the spring 11, that the circuit is completed through the wire a, binding-post 3, base-plate 2, plate 14,1ever 17, contacts 18 and 7, conductor 6 and binding-post 4, to the wire b. When a message is to be sent over the line the circuit is alternately broken and made by first pressing the handle-portion of ICO the lever 17 and thereby moving the contact 18 out of engagement with the contact 7, and then manipulating the key lever 10, in the ordinary manner.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced a self-closing attachment for telegraph keys which is positive and reliable in operation, and which is simple, durable, and inexpensive of construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a telegraph key, the combination with the pivoted-key-lever, electrically connected to one wire of the line and provided with a contact-pin, and a contact-plate located below and out of contact with said contact-pin, and electrically connected to the other wire of the line, of a plate electrically connected through the base-plate of the key and other connections to said lever, a lever pivotally supported by an arm of said plate and provided with a contact pin and a spring connected to said lever, and holding said contact pin yieldingly into engagement with the said contact-plate of the pivoted lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In a telegraph key, the combination with a pivoted key lever, electrically connected to one wire of the line, and provided with a depending contact-pin, and a contact arranged below said contact-pin and electrically connected to the other Wire of the line, of a selfclosing attachment comprising a base-plate electrically connected, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, to the key-lever, an arm projecting upward from said plate, a lever pivoted in the upper end of said arm and provided with a depending contact-pin at its front end and with a handle portion at its rear end adjacent to the handle portion of the lever, and a spring connected to said lever forwardly of its pivoted point, and holding the contact-pin thereof yieldingly into engagement with the contact below the contactpin of the key lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimon'ywhereot' I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER F. SEBRING. Witnesses:

MARIA L. SPERRY, IDA M. SEEKING. 

